A big part of building a credible and memorable online presence is having a blog where you can regularly share innovations, respond to customer inquiries in an informative fashion, and share valuable material of interest to people who have the potential of helping your business grow. The challenge is creating a blog that stands out from the rest. One that has a certain measure of authenticity and sincerity where your readers can identify with your cause and visualize themselves utilizing your product or service. So, before you begin, take a closer look at these six valuable tactics that when leveraged appropriately, can help you create a successful blog.

1. Create Visual Appeal

From the time your blog makes its initial appearance, you should be very aware of how everything appears. A layout that is difficult to follow, too bland, or overly processed can instantly turn readers away. Before actually reading your content, people will first glance at your formatting and if it is unappealing they will move right along. When choosing a layout for your blog, look for options that allow you to present popular content in a manner that is easily seen and accessible.

2. Be Accessible

Your blog has the potential to be an excellent marketing tool, one that can help you inform and gain new customers and garner repeat business. One of the best ways to achieve that kind of success is to pay close attention to accessibility. Be aware of which topics, posts, or information are most heavily searched or read and make these conveniently accessible. Additionally, frequently check for broken links or glitches to guarantee that everything is running smoothly at all times. Your content, as valuable as it may be, won’t do very many people good if they cannot access it when they want to.

3. Know Your Audience

Who reads your blog? Why are they reading it? What kinds of information do they want to find? Having confident answers for each of these questions can help you identify your target and can assist you in making strategic decisions regarding content as you move forward. Consider these angles when identifying a persona for your readers:

• Gender
• Location
• Age
• Interests
• Career
• Challenges faced

With a broad understanding of the types of people who are visiting your platform, you can effectively cater your content to meet their needs. This action will demonstrate your loyalty to your customers and your desire to provide them with what they want.

4. Leverage Keywords and Phrases

Keywords and phrases, while seemingly simple, are often easy to misuse. When leveraged the right way, they can do a great deal in drawing a customer in, keeping them focused on your message, and encouraging them to keep reading or to pursue your product or service. Overuse however, can quickly turn your content into an annoying sales pitch that will yield ineffective results. On the other hand, underuse or not using keywords and phrases at all, risks giving your readers the impression that you aren’t really credible and may not understand what you are talking about. Using them the correct way is a result of carefully choosing which words and phrases to highlight, and then incorporating them in a manner that is natural and persuasive.

5. Be Consistent

Consistency plays a major role in creating a blog that is readable and successful. Being consistent in the type of content you post, when you post, and how you articulate your message shows that you understand your own business model and that you understand your audience. Consistency is integral to building brand awareness, establishing your credibility, and sharing content that is reflective of your values and the characteristics that make you authentic.

6. Give Genuine Response

Chances are, you will have the opportunity to interact with readers who have both positive and negative feedback about your posts. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to engage with your audience, develop an online community, and find out what types of content your readers are most responsive to. By providing genuine responses in regards to both negative and positive inquiries, you can show your sincerity and demonstrate your trust in your brand and content.

Creating a successful blog doesn’t happen with your first post. However, through consistent determination and an unfeigned loyalty to your readers, you have a winning chance at developing a platform that is truly one-of-a-kind.

About Matthew Pattoli

Matthew Pattoli is the co-founder and President of Social Vantage. He brings his marketing experience and high level skill set to the forefront of the most important marketing campaigns Social Vantage executes for their clients. This year alone, Matthew will oversee the strategy and execution of more than 1,000 social media marketing campaigns for hundreds of clients in multiple markets. Matthew enjoys vacationing to tropical islands to deep sea scuba dive with great white sharks. View all Articles by Matthew Pattoli